With their leathery leaves and sweet fruit, satsumas (Citrus reticulata) serve a dual role in landscaping as both an edible crop and ornamental shrub or tree. They are sensitive to hard frost and will only grow outdoors within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8B to 12, where they work equally well in pots or in the garden. Satsumas grow effortlessly from seed, which germinate quickly under warm conditions. The seeds don't require stratification or special pretreatment to successfully sprout, although they must be sown while very fresh because they rapidly lose viability once they dry out.
Collect seed from a ripe, unblemished satsuma by removing the peel and splitting the fruit in half. Pick out the pointed, pale brown seeds from the pithy white center of the fruit. Avoid seeds with black discolorations or other signs of damage.
Wrap the satsuma seeds in a moist paper towel while preparing containers. Fill 6-inch plastic pots with commercially prepared citrus potting mix or a homemade mixture of equal parts milled peat, sterile loam and medium-grit sand.
Add water to the growing mixture before sowing the satsuma seeds. Water to a 3-inch depth. Poke a 1/4-inch-deep hole in the center of the potting mix. Place the seed inside and cover it with soil. Gently firm the soil.
Place the pots indoors near a south-facing window with very bright, indirect light. Arrange the pots on a germination mat. Set the temperature to between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the pots with a sheet of plastic wrap or with a propagation dome.
Check the moisture level in the potting mix every day. Water to a 2-inch depth if the soil feels barely moist just beneath the surface. Add the water slowly to avoid dislodging or disrupting the satsuma seed.
Watch for germination in 30 to 60 days. Turn off the germination mat once the seeds sprout. Remove the plastic wrap or propagation dome when the seedlings are almost tall enough to touch it.
Move the satsuma seedlings into an insulated, lightly shaded cold frame. Open the cold frame for an increasing length of time each day to acclimate the seedlings to normal outdoor temperatures and humidity.
Move the satsumas to a sheltered area outdoors where they will receive morning and late afternoon sun, and midday shade. Provide an inch of water every five to seven days, or whenever the potting mix dries out in the top inch.
Transplant the satsumas into a permanent pot or bed in autumn as they enter dormancy. Grow them in full sun with acidic, fast-draining soil. Choose a sheltered site if growing them in an area where spring frosts are common.
Things You Will Need
- Paper towel
- 6-inch plastic pots
- Citrus potting mix
- Germination mat
- Plastic wrap
- Cold frame
- Floridata: Citrus Reticulata
- Texas A&M University Department of Horticulture: Propagation Methods and Rootstocks for Fruit and Nut Species
- University of Oklahoma Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology; Plant of the Week; Citrus Reticulata
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Citrus Propagation for Homeowners
- Alameda County Master Gardeners: Your Alameda County Garden Month-by-Month
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images